Dan Wolf on Energy & Oil

Make the Cape and Islands energy neutral by 2030

Some sacrifices will be necessary to reach my goal of making the Cape and Islands energy neutral in 15 to 20 years; that is always true when real leadership is exercised. But better management and conservation must play a key role. One example of how
we could create immediate and substantial savings across the region: Reduce nighttime visual pollution created by unnecessary exterior lighting, while dramatically decreasing electric consumption. Nantucket has been a leader in this regard.

Green Initiatives like solar panels have economic payback

At Cape Air, we are now installing the largest solar panel array in Southeastern Massachusetts on the roof of our headquarters in Barnstable.
It will provide all the electricity used in that facility, while creating good construction and manufacturing jobs, a Green Initiative with economic payback.
The solar array replaces electricity now supplied by fossil fuel generating plants. Coupled with other new ways of conserving energy, this also opens up opportunities for local entrepreneurs to design, build and install the new technology.
This approach is the result of a strong partnership between the public and private sectors. This is the model for how we will reach energy independence.